Faf du Plessis will have the right command and the right plans to go with it © AFP
Tarot reader Shruti Chopra looks into her cards to give CricketCountry.com readers exclusive insights into what lies ahead in the IPL matches. In the below piece, she dwells into the Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings game - the second of the two IPL matches on Thursday.
The Rajasthan Royals will build good partnerships, have good plans, and like the Judgement card, believe they deserve success. The key for them will be their confidence, which despite moments of shakiness won't deviate them off their path.
Rahul Dravid will be a balanced and steady batsman. He will stick to his natural abilities, rather than trying to do something that doesn't work for him. He will play the anchor role. As a captain, he will, like the Ace of Pentacles look to take risks, but he should be careful of not getting too caught up in this. He will get back to doing the basics right and be a strong leader.
Key players
Ajinkya Rahane will look to develop his innings at a steady pace and then grab on to the opportunity to accelerate.
Ashok Menaria will, like the Five of Wands, have a battle of hard work ahead of him. He will put in the required efforts to gain strong results. A good day for him.
Brad Hodge will be strong and attacking. He will have a dip in his strike rate, which he will pick up quite easily.
Brad Hogg should be played today, as he will provide important breakthroughs. He will be steady and play a very positive game like the Ace of Cups.
Johan Botha will have a weak start, but will be able to pick himself up and like the Strength card, he will gain control over his responsibilities.
Ankeet Chavan will have a strong start to his spell, but he will need to maintain his focus to keep the positive momentum going.
The Super Kings are looking strong, too. They are balanced and come with a firm resolve to make this opportunity count. The Three of Wands does warn of their spurts of complacency putting them in an uncomfortable position. They will also need to step up their fielding and look to put in a lot of hard work to bring out their potential. They are certainly ready for the fight.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni will have a confused and shaky start as a batsman. Yet like the Six of Swords, he will apply himself to steer his innings more confidently. He will be attacking as a captain as he has worked on improved plans to get the best out of his team.
Key players
Francois du Plessis is looking very strong. He will have the right command and the right plans to go with it. A good day for him.
Murali Vijay will find himself recovering from an uncomfortable start. The Star does support his ability to recover and make this innings count.
Suresh Raina will be like the Knight of Cups – steady and ready to grow in his game. He will develop himself into an aggressive position and do well.
Ravindra Jadeja will be balanced. He will, like the Six of Cups find it important to regain his past successes and achieve for his team. A strong day for him too.
Albie Morkel will make some important runs, but will also give away runs too.
Ben Hilfenhaus will be strong and successful; yet he will be an expensive bowler.
Who holds the advantage?
Chennai Super Kings
(London-born Shruti Chopra was introduced to cricket by her two older brothers. She spent some of her childhood time in Delhi and became an Indian cricket fan. She has remained an unflinching and passionate Indian cricket fan even after moving back to London, setting 3.00 am alarms to watch India play Test matches. It was during the 2011 World Cup that she brought together her passion for cricket with her profession of Tarot Reading, looking at the cards in the hope of spotting an India win coming through - which it did! You can know more about Shruti via Facebook, Twitter and her website)
